Embodied Politics in Visual Autobiography (collection; abstracts due May 15/08)

We invite contributions for a proposed collection of essays on visualautobiography, focusing on health, bodies, and embodied subjectivities. Thecollection will consider how cultural practices of self-narration andself-portraiture image and imagine unruly bodies and, in so doing, respondto Patricia Zimmermannâ€™s call for â€œradical media democracies that animatecontentious public spheresâ€ (2000, p. xx).

How are health, dis/ability, and the body theorized, materialized, andpoliticized in visual autobiographies, including forms such as photography,video art, graphic memoir, film, body art and performance, and digitalmedia? We are particularly interested in the potential of visualautobiographies to:

Send a 300- to 500-word abstract, working title, and a brief bio, by emailin a Word attachment, to Sarah Brophy (brophys_at_mcmaster.ca<mailto:brophys_at_mcmaster.ca>) and Janice Hladki (hladkij_at_mcmaster.ca<mailto:hladkij_at_mcmaster.ca> on or before May 15, 2008. Inquiries are alsowelcome. Final papers should range in length from 4000-8000 words.

About the editors: Sarah Brophy is an Associate Professor in English andCultural Studies, McMaster University. Janice Hladki is an AssociateProfessor in Theatre and Film Studies, McMaster University.